Travel Trailer in Winter?? (Anchorage, Hope: RV park, rentals, home)

[tomcat6369]

Is it feezable to live in a travel trailer in the winter, say until late Novmeber? Trailer is 27' NW package which not sure is Alaska proof.

[Grannysroost]

We stayed in ours a couple years ago for the month of November between rentals. It is feasible, but not as nice as warmer months. Hard to heat and expensive as heck to keep heated, unless run auxillary electric heater maybe,...if you cook will create moisture on the windows, which runs down into the wells and you need to keep wiping out as will overflow onto floor or walls, and eventually create mold. Trust me the cleaning with bleach in each and every window is not fun after the fact. We did not fill the water tanks in ours or use the running water, as the fear of freezing hit hard, either pipes or tanks. We were at an RV park, so filled jugs, heated water for dishes, and they had showers. We used the toilet in ours and hooked the sewer drain up, but that was it. Had antifreeze in the rest of the system. We would have been okay that year, as it was warmer out. It really depends and where and the weather.

[Alaska Deb]

Hi,

Where will you be living? My son lived in one till the middle of Jan. last year. But he was hooked up to electricity. Still, now that I think about it, the cat's water froze in its bowl on the floor. But, up higher it was ok...except for the -20 to -30 couple of days.

Depending on where you will be, and your personal level of cold tolerance, I'd say...yes. But, we are extremely cold tolerant people.

Hope this helps a little,
Deb

[RayinAK]

Not in the interior unless you have a fortune to spend on propane. A former coworker of mine spent a winter in a winterized (insulated) travel trailer. Since he had to work, he would turn the heat down during the day, and there was a thick layer of ice on the floor by the time he returned from work. He had to crank the heat as high as possible to melt the ice, and that cost him quite a lot of money. To make matters worst, propane produces a lot of moisture which then turns to ice near the floor. He had quite a miserable winter that year His best friend had to take him to his home before winter ended.

[Jason28]

Originally Posted by tomcat6369

Is it feezable to live in a travel trailer in the winter, say until late Novmeber? Trailer is 27' NW package which not sure is Alaska proof.

It is quite freezable to live in a travel trailer in winter.

[tomcat6369]

I am sure it is quite "freezable". Location is Anchorage, more then likely would only be until late Sept or eraly Oct. Just checking if anyone had input. Thanks for the help and advice.

I better keep my options open.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by tomcat6369

I am sure it is quite "freezable". Location is Anchorage, more then likely would only be until late Sept or eraly Oct. Just checking if anyone had input. Thanks for the help and advice.

I better keep my options open.

If the weather holds out, which it should be fine then and you should do okay, but remember if turns really cold that to heat it costs a fortune and if it snows, rains a lot, you will get the humidity inside with the heat/cold difference. I would cook in the oven quite a bit so to keep the main part warm and shut the doors to our back bedroom until night. I think a good electric heater is more efficient that the propane and costs less, just have the backup.

[starlite9]

An Igloo is much easier to keep warm...

You can adapt to living in the camper at -40 if you go about it properly. I used mine now and then in the winter at sub zero temps.

Don't use the water system, put R/V antifreeze in the water system and don't use the toilet or sink unless it is an emergency since there is no place to dump the holding tank either.

The travel trailer will need to be skirted if you want to keep frost off the floor as well as double the windows with heat shrink film that helps keep them from frosting over.

Anyway, it is doable... Not fun, but doable.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by starlite9

An Igloo is much easier to keep warm...

You can adapt to living in the camper at -40 if you go about it properly. I used mine now and then in the winter at sub zero temps.

Don't use the water system, put R/V antifreeze in the water system and don't use the toilet or sink unless it is an emergency since there is no place to dump the holding tank either.

The travel trailer will need to be skirted if you want to keep frost off the floor as well as double the windows with heat shrink film that helps keep them from frosting over.

Anyway, it is doable... Not fun, but doable.

Good point with the film on the windows It was too late for us...

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by tomcat6369

I am sure it is quite "freezable". Location is Anchorage, more then likely would only be until late Sept or eraly Oct. Just checking if anyone had input. Thanks for the help and advice.

I better keep my options open.

Well, Los Anchorage isn't as cold as Squarebanks, but while I lived there in the '70s I remember very windy days at -4 degrees every now and then.